{"product_id":"i-wish-we-werent-related-isbn-9780593335062","title":"I Wish We Weren't Related","description":"\u003cb\u003eAfter a shocking phone call from her mother, Reeva Mehta’s life starts to sound like the plot of a Bollywood drama. From the outlandishly funny author of \u003ci\u003e30 Things I Love About Myself\u003c\/i\u003e comes a hilarious, heartwarming novel about love, family, and new beginnings.\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Thirty-four-year-old Reeva thought her life couldn’t possibly get more complicated, until her semi-famous Bollywood mother calls to tell her that she’s been lying to her daughters for decades—the father they thought died thirty years ago has been alive this whole time. Only now he actually \u003ci\u003eis\u003c\/i\u003e dead. Worse? His dying wish was for Reeva and her sisters Sita and Jaya to attend his funeral prayers—which means spending a fortnight together at his house, surrounded by relatives they never knew existed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva already has more than enough going on in her life. She’s an overworked London lawyer, her hair is falling out due to stress-induced alopecia, she can’t decide if her new boyfriend, Nick, is really as wonderful as he appears to be, and her brand-new cat is playing hard to get (even for a cat). And now she has to spend two weeks with the sisters she hasn’t spoken to since Jaya stole her boyfriend and Sita took her side.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e But as Reeva slowly learns more about their father and his life—with the help of \u003ci\u003ehis\u003c\/i\u003e sister, aka her new, wise Satya Auntie—she starts to uncover the complicated truth of their past…and realizes she needs Jaya and Sita more than she ever could have imagined.\"Hilariously funny, totally heartfelt and completely original – a perfect comedy about family, sisterhood and self-discovery. I learned so much about Hindu culture and really related to the stresses of dealing with difficult friendships, family drama and alopecia to boot. Radhika Sangani is a huge talent!\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Laura Price\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eSingle Bald Female\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A heartwarming novel about families and how to survive them.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eSheila O’Flanagan, \u003c\/b\u003eauthor of \u003ci\u003eWhat Eden Did Next\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“If you thought the Kardashians were dramatic, wait until you meet the Mehta sisters. … With her signature wit and relatable characters, Sanghani delivers dramatic hijinks mixed with relevant themes (family dysfunction, anxiety) and charm.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Readers will enjoy the relatable characters, the snappy one-liners, and the wise and hip auntie who transcends the page and reminds readers to be kind to themselves.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Library Journal\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"A glorious warm hug of a book!\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Harriet Minter, \u003c\/b\u003eauthor of \u003ci\u003eWorking From Home\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cbr\u003ePraise for \u003ci\u003e30 Things I Love About Myself\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I adored everything about this hilarious, clever, uplifting novel! \u003ci\u003e30 Things I Love About Myself \u003c\/i\u003eis a laugh-out-loud, feel-good novel that will leave you inspired and hopeful and downright happy! A truly gifted storyteller…Sanghani’s charmingly flawed characters are so lovable and authentic you’ll feel like you’re part of the Mistry family. In turns uproariously funny and tenderly touching, \u003ci\u003e30 Things I Love About Myself\u003c\/i\u003e is the perfect antidote for today’s stressful world.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Lori Nelson Spielman, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Star-Crossed Sisters of Tuscany\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Radhika Sanghani’s \u003ci\u003e30 Things I Love About Myself\u003c\/i\u003e is absolutely charming! Nina Mistry’s life has completely unraveled, but a randomly discovered self-help book shows her the way out…Touching, clever, poignant, and hilarious. Readers will cheer for Nina as she discovers the most important lesson in life—to love yourself. A brilliant and timely read!”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Jenn McKinlay, \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author of \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eWait For It\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“…readers will follow Nina on a journey to self-acceptance and confidence. … \u003ci\u003e30 Things I Love About Myself\u003c\/i\u003e is a timely read at the beginning of the new year when resolutions are abundant. It also can be laugh out-loud funny.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—The Associated Press\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This comedy-drama is unafraid to tackle difficult subjects amid the often hilarious saga of a British Indian journalist and her journey toward self-love and acceptance.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003ci\u003eShelf Awareness\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A heartwarming read about self-acceptance and the idea that it’s possible to learn to love your imperfect self.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“Sanghani's latest is a sweet and funny contemporary novel about learning to embrace yourself, flaws and all. Discussions on racism and depression add depth, keeping the tone from becoming saccharine. Readers will be inspired to create their own self-love lists.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003eBooklist\u003c\/b\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Funny and charming.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Pandora Sykes\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This! So good!! Funny, fresh, touching. I’m completely in love with Nina the heroine. I love the way Radhika writes.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eJane Fallon\u003c\/b\u003e, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eWorst Idea Ever\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Witty, warm and, most of all, brave and important.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eCatherine Gray\u003c\/b\u003e, bestselling author of\u003ci\u003e The Unexpected Joys of Being Single\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “A heart-warming and uplifting read, exactly what we all need right now . . . This is going to fly!”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eNikki May\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eWahala\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “A treat. Just lovely, funny, life-affirming storytelling.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eLauren Bravo\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eHow To Break Up With Fast Fashion\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e“\u003c\/i\u003eTakes you on a heart-warming, affirming journey of what self-love looks like beyond the social media one-liners. An ideal read for any young woman struggling to see her worth and wondering how choosing herself might look.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eMegan Jayne Crabbe, \u003c\/b\u003eauthor of\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eBody Positive Power\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e“\u003c\/i\u003eFelt like a big, warm hug! This book is filled with lots of gems, heartfelt moments and plenty of LOLs. I rooted for Nina all the way. Well done to Radhika for writing such an unconventional rom-com. We need more of these!”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eLizzie Damilola Blackburn\u003c\/b\u003e, author of \u003ci\u003eYinka, Where is Your Huzband?\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “I absolutely loved this book . . . A witty, relatable and heart-warming novel about the obstacle course of adulthood and learning to, in time, be your own compass, self-help guide and best friend.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eEmma Gannon, \u003c\/b\u003eauthor of\u003cb\u003e \u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003eOlive\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e “A charming novel. I loved spending time with Nina, Meera, Rupa, Auntie Trish and the whole gang. Typical Sagittarius.”\u003cbr\u003e —\u003cb\u003eNell Frizzell\u003c\/b\u003e, bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eThe Panic Years\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\"Just brilliant. I want to give it to every woman I know.”\u003ci\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003e—Nimco Ali, OBE\u003c\/b\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cb\u003eRadhika Sanghani\u003c\/b\u003e is an award-winning journalist and author based in London. She writes features for publications like the \u003ci\u003eDaily Mail\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Daily Telegraph\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eThe Guardian\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003eGrazia\u003c\/i\u003e. She is the author of \u003ci\u003eVirgin\u003c\/i\u003e, \u003ci\u003eNot That Easy\u003c\/i\u003e, and \u003ci\u003e30 Things I Love About Myself\u003c\/i\u003e. Radhika is also a body positive campaigner, and founded the #SideProfileSelfie movement to celebrate big noses.Chapter 1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Day 1\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva Mehta pushed open the double doors and walked out of the courtroom feeling like the heroine of the movie that was her life. She stood at the top of the stone steps in the glaring sun, beaming down at the world through her oversized sunglasses, allowing herself this one moment of pure, unadulterated success. Because she'd done it. She'd won. Her client wouldn't have to walk out of her marriage to that abusive asshole with barely any funds to raise her three kids. Instead, she'd get everything she deserved.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva was still fuming that the shitty Mr. Khan had tried to funnel all his money away to his brother, pretending he was practically broke. She knew she should be used to it by now-she'd been working in divorce law for a solid decade-but every time, the injustice of it all floored her. Only this time, she'd stopped it. She'd found out exactly what Mr. Khan was doing and had successfully applied for the court to undo the transfer of assets, meaning her client would get her fair share of what was rightfully hers: £3.5 million. Justice had been served.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When the judge had made his ruling, the former Mrs. Khan had hugged Reeva with tears in her eyes. And in that moment, Reeva had remembered exactly why she did this job. She could still feel the warmth of the hug as she strode down the street now toward the office in her new fuchsia heels. She knew she should swap into the trainers she carried everywhere, but this was Reeva's moment. The shoes added to her heroine vibe. She needed a soundtrack too. Something bold. Celebratory. The kind of song they'd play in the finale of a feminist film. She pulled out her phone and went straight to the \"Boss Bitch\" playlist Lakshmi had made. She scrolled down, looking for something to match her mood, and laughed out loud when she found it: \"All I Do Is Win.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva walked back to her office listening to DJ Khaled on repeat. She doubted he knew the unique feeling of having saved a woman from financial ruin by using the power of the law, but she still felt very seen by his lyrics. Because right now, that was Reeva. Despite the best efforts of Mr. Khan's lawyers, she'd won, won, won.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'm so proud of you,\" cried Lakshmi, bursting into Reeva's office and wrapping her arms around her. \"I can't believe you did it! I mean, I can. Because it's you. But you know what I mean.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva squeezed her best friend tightly. \"I know. And it felt amazing.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"We need to celebrate,\" said Lakshmi. She opened the bottom drawer of Reeva's desk and pulled out their chocolate stash. \"Which are the most expensive ones?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva pointed to the Rococo pack. \"They're from Felicity Howard-Jones.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"The double-barreled ones always give the best chocolates.\" Lakshmi pulled out a couple and passed the pack to Reeva. \"We need music.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I've been listening to your playlist on repeat ever since I walked out of the courtroom,\" said Reeva. \"Well, just one song. 'All I Do Is Win.' Don't judge.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"As if I would! I play that every time I have an orgasm.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva laughed. \"Of course you do.\" She selected a white-chocolate truffle and sighed loudly as she slowly devoured it. \"I'm just so relieved,\" she said, her mouth still full as she reached for a dark chocolate praline, \"that we managed to get Noor her money. I don't know what she would have done if we hadn't. And the poor kids. They didn't deserve any of this. Their dad is so selfish.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Lakshmi smiled kindly. \"Are you doing that thing again?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"What thing?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"The one where you overempathize with the kids whose lives are ruined by their parents.\" She paused. \"So, all the kids.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'm not overempathizing! I care about them a normal level.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"And you're not projecting your childhood onto them? Selfish, wealthy parent? Neglected kids?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Stop therapizing me,\" protested Reeva. \"I'm meant to be celebrating.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Sorry, sorry. But it's true. And it's probably why you're so good at your job. Unlike the rest of us, you seriously care, Reevs.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I can't tell if that's a good thing or not.\" Reeva caught sight of a short figure striding toward them through the glass door and winced. \"Oh god; don't look now, but Lee's coming.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Lakshmi grabbed the open box of chocolates and shoved them into a drawer. \"What? He always takes the best ones.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Girls.\" Lee stood at the door with his arms spread out. \"I knew you could do it, Reeva. Well done.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Thanks, Lee.\" Reeva smiled politely at her boss.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Lakshmi rolled her eyes. \"You mean 'women,' not 'girls.'\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"What are you going to do, sue me?\" He ignored Lakshmi's expression that suggested she was going to do exactly that. \"What about you, anyway? How's the duke?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"As entitled as ever,\" said Lakshmi. \"But don't worry; I'm getting him everything he wants. The prenup I drafted protects his inherited assets. His ex's claim will be confined to her reasonable needs. In other words-she's not getting the estate.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Good.\" Lee nodded. \"Keep up the good work and you'll have a real chance at partnership.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"A real chance? We both know it's mine. Who else wins as many cases as I do?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Reeva,\" said Lee, jerking his head toward her. \"I don't know why you're not going up for partnership too. You could have fought it out between you.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She shrugged. \"I just want to focus on the cases I care about. Being partner takes me further away from the stuff I love.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"All right, Pollyanna,\" he said. \"There's champagne-well, prosecco-downstairs. May as well celebrate your win.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Nice move,\" said Lakshmi, nodding approvingly. \"I hope you've ordered enough for when I get made partner.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Lee scoffed and muttered something to himself about \"women\" and \"the death of me\" as he walked out of the office.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"That man,\" said Lakshmi. \"I swear, if he makes Maria partner over me, I'll fucking kill him.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"As if he'd dare.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Lakshmi hesitated. \"You know, I just, uh . . . I hope you're not not going for the partnership because of me. I'd be fine with it. The competition, I mean. And if you were made partner over me, I'd be genuinely happy for you.\" She paused. \"Well, eventually.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva smiled. \"I know. But I promise, it's not about you. I just don't want it. I'd rather go sideways than straight up the career ladder, you know? Build up a rep on the cases I want, and then maybe go out on my own one day.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Which you would be incredible at, though you know you'd also have to take on the cases you don't like. Where you rep the bad guys. And don't just palm them off onto me.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Hey, I've represented my fair share of dickheads.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Lakshmi sighed. \"True that. Well, at least our resident dickhead got us some prosecco. Coming?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'll meet you there,\" said Reeva. \"I just want to finish up the paperwork.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Only you celebrate a win by doing paperwork. Remind me why we're friends again?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Because I celebrate a win by doing paperwork. See you down there!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e When Lakshmi had gone, Reeva pulled down the blinds of her office door and rushed over to the mirror. The paperwork was a lie; she needed to see if things had gotten worse. Lakshmi knew everything-what was the point of a best friend who didn’t?-but Reeva couldn’t bear the pity that appeared in her eyes whenever they spoke about it. She needed to do this alone.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She took a deep breath and looked straight at the woman in front of her, in her ecru silk blouse, wide-legged charcoal trousers, and pointed heels. Her wavy hair, dyed in various shades of browns, was cut above her shoulders, gently framing her slightly too-angular face. It was, as reflections went, a pretty good one. But Reeva was too focused on her task to notice.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Slowly, she used her little finger to push a large chunk of her hair over from the left to the right side of her head. It revealed a perfectly round bald patch. Reeva felt the sickening lurch in her stomach that hit her every time she looked at her bare scalp (at least twenty times a day) in the hope that it had shrunk. But it hadn't. Instead, it was now so large that with the LED office lights shining straight onto it, it looked like a round lightbulb poking out the side of her head. Trying not to cry-or think about the fact that she now resembled a human lamp-Reeva reached for her ruler.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Just then her phone rang with a FaceTime call. Reeva looked down at the screen and frowned. Her mum. The last time they'd spoken, she'd forced Reeva to sit through a guided video tour of her villa on a private island in the Seychelles \"right where George proposed to Amal!\" It had lasted thirty-seven minutes. Reeva's finger hovered over the reject button. She had too much going on in her life to deal with her mum right now. But at the last second, her finger slid over to \"Accept.\" She sighed in resignation; no matter how much she tried, Reeva was incapable of taking her younger sisters' lead and rejecting their mother's calls.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e She quickly pushed her hair back to cover the patch as she held up the phone in front of her. The last thing she needed was for her mum to notice that she was going bald.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Darling?\" Her mum's perfectly made-up face slowly appeared, pixel by pixel, on her phone screen. \"Can you hear me?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva nodded. \"Yep. Is everything okay?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e There was a dramatic silence before Saraswati replied with a pregnant monosyllable: \"No.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva waited expectantly for the ensuing monologue on the latest crisis-last time, a Bollywood actor had dared to (accurately) suggest that Saraswati was in her sixties-but the sound cut out and the screen froze. She sighed, placing the phone down on a shelf so she could see her mum, but her mum couldn't see her. Then she picked up the ruler. It was time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Reeva, where are you?\" The pixels slowly rearranged themselves back into her mum's familiar Botoxed face.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I'm here, Mum,\" she called out, looking at the ruler with trepidation. \"Shall we just talk later? I'm quite busy and your connection isn't great.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Oh, the bloody Taj,\" muttered her mum. \"I don't know why they can't fix their Wi-Fi.\" As Saraswati began ranting about the five-star hotel's poor facilities, Reeva focused on her task. She quickly flicked her hair back and reached up to measure the diameter of the patch. She gasped out loud-6.5 centimeters. It was growing.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I know,\" said Saraswati. \"It's shocking. Anyway, I suppose I should tell you why I'm calling.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva rummaged around her bag for her makeup. She had a date that evening-her twentieth with Nick, not that she was counting-and she wanted to look perfect. \"Please do.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Okay . . . The thing is . . .\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva pulled out her mascara and began applying it onto her lashes, her jaw falling slack as she focused on her task.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Darling . . . your dad's dead.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Uh-huh, and?\" Reeva's mouth was still open as she put on her mascara, so her voice came out lisping. \"Ith there a reathon you're bringing up thomething that happened when I wath five?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Don't talk like that, darling,\" said Saraswati. \"You sound like you've had a stroke. And of course there's a reason. It's just . . . well . . .\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva put away the mascara and pulled out a fuchsia lipstick that perfectly matched her shoes.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"I suppose I'd better just say it.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva was only half listening. Her mum probably wanted to talk about her latest realization in therapy, one that would doubtless focus on her own struggles and avoid the phrase \"I'm sorry.\" Reeva wished this new therapist wouldn't encourage her mum to share all her supposed breakthroughs with her daughters. It was fine when you were being paid more than £100 an hour to hear them, but not when you were forced to listen for free.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"You see . . . Your dad didn't actually die back then. He was alive. And he has been-all this time. Until today.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva's hand slipped and smudged fuchsia lipstick across her cheek. \"I'm sorry. What?\" She grabbed the phone and stared into her mum's shifting face.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"It was a heart attack in the middle of the night yesterday. All very sudden.\" Her mum looked down at her nails (dark red Shellac-her trademark) and began fiddling with her ridiculously large diamond ring. \"I'm sorry to not be able to tell you in person, Reeva. But this latest movie, it's just taking up so much of my time.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Reeva wiped the lipstick off her cheek and stared at her reflection in the mirror and then looked back down at her mum. \"I'm sorry; are you kidding? Are you trying to tell me that Dad's been alive all this time?! Until last night?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Her mum nodded guiltily. Reeva scanned her face for some kind of explanation, but none came. \"So why did you tell us he was dead?! Mum-you need to explain! What's going on?!\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Saraswati coughed awkwardly. \"I know it's a lot to take in. It's a real shock he died so young. Only sixty-four.\" A series of muffled shouts erupted on Saraswati's end, and her face brightened momentarily. \"Darling, I'm so sorry, I have to go in a minute. That's the producer calling me. We're getting a flight up to the Himalayas today-I have no idea why these directors are so obsessed with getting the mountains into every song sequence. I think the Wi-Fi will be even worse there. Honestly, these hotels-\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Mum!\" Reeva cried out, forgetting her own therapist's advice to avoid raising her voice when dealing with members of her family. \"What about Dad?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Saraswati started twirling her diamond around her ring finger again. She held her hand up to the light and gave it an admiring glance before turning her attention back to the phone screen. \"Look, it's all very complicated. I don't want to explain it on the phone. My lawyers will give you and your sisters a call later to talk you through the details. Your dad used the same lawyers, which makes it all less complicated. That's one thing he did right, I'll give him that.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"What details?\" demanded Reeva. \"Why do I need to speak to lawyers?\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \"Well, it's just . . . your dad's last wishes were for you and your sisters to be at his funeral and perform the Hindu prayers for him,\" explained Saraswati. \"Seeing as he couldn't spend time with you in life and all, he thought he'd do it in death. I suppose it's quite poetic, really. I get you when I'm alive; he gets you when he's dead. Perhaps more families should do things this way.\"","brand":"Berkley","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46300710142181,"sku":"NP9780593335062","price":17.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780593335062.jpg?v=1767729742","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/es\/products\/i-wish-we-werent-related-isbn-9780593335062","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}